“Please Lieutenant, just fill in the survey and make it quick!”
NB – the survey referenced in this article is now closed! Thanks to the hundreds upon hundreds of you who completed it! Read about the findings here.
There comes a time in every man’s life when they have to make a decisions on where to go next. For me, that time is now.
Away from the pleasing environs of this blog I do have a professional life. Or at least I did until very recently. Craving more time to commit to creative pursuits in general and Columbo projects more specifically, I sensationally quit the corporate day job in January! Get excited, etc etc…
On paper that’s terrific news and there are definitely no regrets, so here I am desperately trying to plot a way how to make a living out of the things I really love doing, while Mrs Columbo toils night and day to earn enough shekels to keep the Junior Columbos in chilli, boiled eggs and cigars.
So, anyway, before I assess which direction/s to take myself in, I thought I’d seek a little help and guidance from my very favourite people: ALL OF YOU! I’m after feedback and inspiration from you on the Columbo things I currently do, and other areas I could expand into (within reason – I can’t afford to buy character rights from Universal, more’s the pity).
Could you please fill in my survey… and lend me a fresh pair of socks?
To that end, it would make my Columbo-loving heart SING WITH GLEE if you could please take just 5 minutes (or less, in all likelihood) to fill in a short reader survey! This will allow you to share insights on how and when you interact with my Columbo-related content, how you rate it, and whether there’s an audience for new and exciting Columbophile projects.
As always, I don’t ask you to do this with no thought of reward for your efforts. Indeed I will offer one absolutely splendid, genuine 1970s’ Columbo Italian photo movie poster to one lucky participant, and will post it to you wherever you live in the world. So please dive in with confidence! I’ll keep it live until the end of March.
COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE!
Thanks in advance for your help. And in case you haven’t heard me say this before, I am eternally grateful for the support, good times and positivity provided by the online Columbo community over many years. I will once again be in your debt.
I promise to jig merrily like this if you complete the survey – or if you don’t…
PS – Since quitting the day job I’ve been temporarily separated from my Columbo DVDs, so episode reviews are on hold until I am reunited with them in March. On the plus side, I’ll have more time to bust out the reviews more swiftly in future months, so everyone’s a winner, right?
I was but 10 when Season One aired. By parents were extremely cautious about what I watched (or any of us kids.) I could have a nightmare from watching Casper the Ghost. However, after they saw the first episode, they really wanted me to see such a good show, particularly because television was the field my 10 year old self said I wanted to enter; which, I actually did, so to speak. After the first season we were transferred back to Europe and it would be 3 ;years before I saw my favorite television character again.
All that said, the real reason for this note: Sir, you have taken on a tough task. And, wow, you do it perfectly. You enlighten us about behind the scenes issues, the scripting, the role as played by Peter Falk and how he found the character through the seasons, and much more.
Thank you for the Hurculean effort you put forth to provide so many with so much.
Be well!
Hi Colombophile ,on an unrelated matter as were still waiting for forgotten lady to be reviewed i thought a little bit of trivia would be nice .
I would like to try and name the episodes Vito scotti starred in . Identity Crisis , Swansong , any old port in a storm , candidate for crime , Negative Reaction , Murder a self portrait . there may be one or two more please correct me if i was wrong .
secondly. id like to name the episodes where columbo appeared before the murder
Troubled waters , Greenhouse jungle , Make me a perfect murder and a case of immunity , there maybe more but i momentarily forget , im sure columbophile will know the answers .
Yes, though are the 6 episodes Vito appeared in. He wasn’t in any others. Re. appearing before the murder took place, the only other ones I can immediately think of are Candidate for Crime and Columbo Cries Wolf.
Thank you columbophile I remember now columbo was at the dentist in candidate for crime .( I am not a huge fan of candidate for crime) as for columbo cries wolf I cant remember , I think there was a reported missing person Diane hunter , murdered towards the end , again not one of my favourite’s s well down my rankings
what about columbo goes to college we see columbo lecturing before the murder of professer rusk was carried out but planned before we see him does this then count ?
YAY! This is all so very exciting! Off now to complete the questionnaire but just wanted to wish you much fun with all your creative projects. Can’t wait to see where the future takes you x
You ARE nice, thank you. Your Columbo book is also a genuine inspiration!
Jenny, hello……just eavesdropping here, wanted to thank you so very much for the book….it’s wonderful, I am sharing it around at work.
Filled in the survey and my very best to you! I wish you much success and will look for your Patreon account!
Many thanks sir! You’re an absolute HERO (regardless of the Spidey avatar).
Hi. Love Columbo. A huge fan of just one more thing sir. I could not find the survey.
There should be a big COMPLETE THE SURVEY HERE message towards the end of the post. If you’re not seeing that I don’t know why. The direct link to the survey is: http://bit.ly/2S9K2m4
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to fill out your survey, however,some of my answers are not an option on your questionnaire, and I am not able to bypass those questions,so I am unable to complete the survey. I’ve been watching Colombo since the mid 70s. Colombo, and Nero Wolf. Nothing like them has come along to replace either of them. Psych came close,as did Monk but as the saying goes, close only counts in hand grenades and horse shoes.
Oh dear, sorry to hear you’ve run into trouble. Which questions? Perhaps I could edit to add an ‘Other’ option?
How in the world did you find me?
I happen to be the biggest Columbo fan on planet earth.
I have been watching since
1970 with my dad.
Next Thursday February 28, my dad is going to turn 91.
We have been religious followers since day one.
This is great!
I just love Columbo episodes. Can watch them everyday! Thanks for posting his memory💖
You are looking at another Columbo fan here. I still love the ones from the 1970’s. Peter Falk lives on through his DVDS and syndication.
Frank columbo is up there with Holmes. I love it! Peter falk, what a legend rip
From the first episode of the wide killing psychologist til the last when he took down a club owner who’d killed the son of a mobster, frank columbo is the man (would have liked to see his wife lol. Rip Peter falk
Hi. Sorry I’m new! Can you tell me what I have to do to ask a question on your site please? Jakki
Sent from my iPad
>
I think you just *did*, Jakki! (and welcome). If you are looking for a forum where you can start new posts on your own questions and topics, to my knowledge there isn’t one….but CP will be sure to see your question here , so ask away. There is also a f/b page and twitter and instagram, so i’m sure you’ll have luck on one of those platforms! CP IS asking for suggestions re adding features, so if you answer his survey, you could suggest the addition of a forum!
Ask away here and we’ll do what we can to assist.
I think it’s awewome that you have decided to spend your time entirely on the things in life you love to do. That takes courage especially with a wife and kids, well done you and I wish you the best of fortunes with your “new” life. To offer some encouragement: I made a similar decision when I was 19 and it has worked for me ever since (I’m 36 now and haven’t regretted it for one moment). I think what you’re doing on the Columbo front is no less than great, providing so mucg entertainment for us Columbo fans, so I think it’s a great decision.
(and of course I’ll do the survey!)
Bravo to you, David! If it isn’t too personal, may I ask what you do? Would love to hear your story if you feel like sharing.
Well, thank you Jan, that’s kind of you. I have done several things over the years, all in some way to do with literature and theatre. I’ve been a director, actor and poet. Because of some physical injury I had to quit acting and I currently I work as a storyteller, and also as book seller at a children’s book store. I love the classical whodunnit detective stories and I’ve written two detective novels (the third is on the way).
how wonderful, David! I am also a poet (was fortunate to be published) but have not been brave enough to pursue that exclusively. So happy for you that you followed your heart and that it worked for you. If there is a place we can see your work, that would be terrific!
Nice, it would be great to read some of your too! Mine would be in Dutch though, not sure if that’d help you in any way…
oh, darn….no, I don’t know any languages except English, David. (and have found that the ‘translation’ features that are available do not work very well, especially in the realm of poetry).
The published poetry is Lord of the Rings centric, so you may or may not be interested. Perhaps the best way to present it quickly is to link you to a pre-publication video that was made by the book’s illustrator, John Cockshaw, reading excerpts from many of the pieces. (John did such a brilliant job; i still marvel at it):
I hope you enjoy and I welcome any comments!
I’ve lots of other poetry, but have not been able to get to a point of putting it together for publication. I must do, late in life, what you did early on!
CP….since this is not what the site is meant for, please let me know if this is not appropriate. thank you!
btw, my reply was delayed because……”How to Dial a Murder” came on. How to escape the beauty of this episode? There is simply not a way!
Apologies to Columbophile and others for going off topic here, but just wanted to tell you, Jan, that I liked your poetry, thank you for sharing! The drawings are beautiful as well, I only wish someone would remove the music form that video, to be honest. It’s overdone and it distracts my attention from the words (and it all being about the words, surely).
thank you so much, David; very happy that you enjoyed. If you would like to read the book in its entirety, I can send you a link, just lmk. Someday I hope that your pieces might be translated to English so that i can read. Do you have a facebook presence? Perhaps we can talk our off-topic talk there. thank you again!
Thanks David, for that encouragement and also for completing the survey. I’m delighted to hear your own decision paid off all those years ago. I think the next 3-4 years for me will be most interesting, including some non-Columbo projects.
I’d be very interested in what your other interests are, if you ever felt like sharing.
I have to echo what Maddy says: entirely brave (and a little mad?) I do wish that I had this same mad bravery, and I wish you and Mrs. C and the Jr. Columbos all the best as you begin this new phase of your life. Excelsior!
Thanks Jan, you’re a trooper!
…..and even sometimes a *troper*!
Very brave of you to quit the day job! I really admire you leaving to focus on what you love though. I wish you every success for the future and can’t wait to see what you do next with this site. I love your site so much. The amount of effort you put into this shows it is a real labour of love. You also bring all us Columbo fans together in one place, which is totally awesome.
What a lovely statement, thanks Maddy! Any and all encouragement and positive vibes are much appreciated!